Communications Minister Anika Wells is under scrutiny following revelations about a taxpayer-funded trip costing $3,681.82. The three-day visit to Adelaide from June 6 to June 8, 2023 included meetings with state ministers and a social engagement at the birthday party of Connie Blefari, an adviser to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Wells’ travel expenses, reported by the Australian Financial Review, included $2,683.68 for flights between Brisbane and Adelaide, $572.14 for car services, and $426 for accommodation. Notably, no travel expenses were claimed for June 7, the day of the birthday party. In a statement, Wells’ spokesman indicated that her travel adhered to existing guidelines, which allow parliamentarians to utilize public resources primarily for parliamentary business.
Under federal regulations, parliamentarians must ensure that public resources are used for the “dominant purpose” of conducting official duties while also providing value for money. Non-compliance with these regulations can result in penalties of up to 25 percent of the misused public funds.
This situation arises shortly after disclosures regarding Wells’ nearly $100,000 expenditure on flights for events related to a social media ban for teenagers during her recent trip to New York. Critics, including Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, have voiced concerns about the justification for such expenses. Henderson emphasized that the Prime Minister must approve all ministerial travel costs and questioned the value for money during a time of crisis, particularly following an Optus Triple Zero outage linked to three fatalities.
Wells has faced criticism for the New York trip, where she hosted a government-sponsored event at the United Nations focused on protecting children in the digital age. The costs for this trip included over $70,000 for the event itself, along with significant travel expenses for Wells and her staff. The return flights for Wells totaled $34,426.58, while her deputy chief of staff’s flights cost $38,165. The online safety assistant secretary’s flight, which occurred two days earlier, amounted to $22,236.31.
Accommodation and transport expenses for the trip were reported at approximately $24,275. The government event at UN headquarters, aimed at discussing child safety online, incurred an expense of $69,500.
In response to criticism, Wells stated during a National Press Club address that her office would continue to disclose relevant information regarding the trip costs. “The reason you know all those things [about the New York trip costs] is that we’re transparent, and we will disclose them through the usual processes,” she noted.
While Wells has maintained that her travel was compliant with regulations, the ongoing scrutiny highlights the need for transparency in the use of taxpayer funds, especially in the context of official duties juxtaposed with personal engagements. As the situation develops, further explanations from Wells and her office are anticipated.
